WASHINGTON — Though most political observers don’t give him much of a chance against Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., Nashville attorney Bob Tuke said he plans an aggressive campaign centered on his experience as a Vietnam War veteran and legal background in health care, finance and energy.

“It’s up to us to reach the electorate, and once I do that, we’ll draw the distinctions between Sen. Alexander and I on the issues,” said Mr. Tuke, 60, a former state Democratic Party chairman who, before the primary earlier this month, walked the state in his combat boots.

He criticized Sen. Alexander, who is seeking his second term, for his voting record, particularly on veterans’ benefits and environmental issues.

“He has voted with President Bush about 92 percent of the time,” Mr. Tuke said. “That means he’s voted for failed economic policies, a mismanaged war, the absence of a sound energy policy and against Medicare reform time and again. He’s also been in the pocket of big oil.”

Sen. Alexander, for his part, has highlighted his bipartisan appeal, saying that he has support from several prominent Democrats and independents in Tennessee.

A former governor and U.S. education secretary, Sen. Alexander recently announced his endorsement by 50 county mayors, including Hamilton County Mayor Claude Ramsey, also a Republican.

“Lamar Alexander is a seventh generation Tennessean,” his campaign said in a statement. “This state is in his blood and the people of Tennessee know and trust him. ... He will continue to work this fall in the U.S. Senate on the issues important to Tennesseans.”

Most election forecasts have Sen. Alexander, who enjoys a substantial campaign war chest and high popularity in the state, winning his re-election bid.

Sen. Alexander had $3.2 million in cash on hand as of June 30, according to second-quarter campaign finance reports, while Mr. Tuke had $260,000.

Congressional Quarterly rates the race as “safe Republican,” and the non-partisan Cook Political Report calls the race “solid Republican.”

Bruce Oppenheimer, a political science professor at Vanderbilt University, said the race seems similar to the 2006 gubernatorial race in which popular incumbent Gov. Phil Bredesen cruised to victory over a largely unknown state Sen. Jim Bryson.

“It’s not just a steep hill to climb, it’s like climbing Everest in bare feet,” Dr. Oppenheimer said. “Tennessee is one of those states where geographically it is difficult to get well known across the state, so it makes it very favorable to incumbents, especially one like Lamar, who has raised a lot of money and is a good candidate.”

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